Dortmund Vital Study
Scientific information about the goals and methods can be found here: Dortmund Vital Study.
The IfADo is exploring the issue of healthy ageing in a broad research initiative. The Dortmund Vital Study investigates the effects and correlations of age, working conditions, lifestyle and stress at various levels: from immune response to cognition and brain activity to organ function.
What is it about?
The aim of the study is to better understand the relationships between biological processes and environmental influences in humans. More than 620 participants between the ages of 20 and 70 will be examined in detail. The study started in 2016 and will continue for up to 20 years. Repeat examinations will be carried out every five years to study changes in body functions and cognition over time.
We are analyzing complex mechanisms of the immune system, metabolism and the brain, as well as mental performance, susceptibility to stress and influences of working conditions (e.g. stress and workload) and individual lifestyle (e.g. diet or leisure activities).
We explore the following questions:
- What biological or environmental factors determine good work ability over the life span?
- Does someone who can deal with stress positively have a stronger immune system?
- Are people who have a varied job less likely to suffer from senile dementia?
- What are the effects of lifestyle and stress on brain and liver function?
- How does ageing affect brain function, immune and metabolic processes?
- What role do genes play in ageing, and what role do the environmental influences we are exposed play?
Our researchers use the data to identify risk factors for impairments associated with depression, burnout or age-related diseases such as dementia, and to derive favourable factors for healthy physical and mental ageing.
You can find the latest results on the Dortmund Vital Study in our annual newsletter (available only in German):
Leibniz-Institut für Arbeitsforschung an der TU Dortmund
Ardeystr. 67
44139 Dortmund
Email: vital@ifado.de